How are you observing the Lenten season this year?

Studying historical Jesus expands view of the world

The Rev. Judy Long O’Neal, pastor, Centenary United Methodist Church, 245 N. Fourth St.:

Lent is personal time — a time of preparation and anticipation. Confronting this difficult question during Lent has taken specific forms for me. I am grieving the pain inflicted on others in the name of Christianity. I am sharing my sadness and regret with those hurt by current claims of Christianity. I am listening and responding to people and situations in other traditions that call for loving relationship — from me.

I am studying in preparation for a class I will soon lead, titled “Jesus Was Not a Conservative Christian.” This class is shaped by the work of Marcus Borg, a scholar in pursuit of the historical Jesus. Study focusing on the historical Jesus is designed to peer deeply into the words, actions, and ministry of a uniquely gifted Jewish man who lived in a particular time and place.

Study of the historical Jesus suggests that the presence of such a person would dismantle our contemporary patterns of exclusion, violence, war and human prejudice.

Perhaps ironically in the season of Lent, the study of the historical Jesus is strikingly powerful without focusing on the death and resurrection of Jesus. The study is a catalyst for change and invitation into interfaith dialogue. It requires an awareness of accounts of Jesus in Jewish and Islamic sacred texts.

The observation of Lent requires openness to change and the radical breaking through of the unexpected. This is a difficult time. I pray for peace.

Send e-mail to the Rev. Judy Long O’Neal at jlongoneal@aol.com.

Practicing water conservation reminds of baptism

Pat Lechtenberg, pastoral associate, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1234 Ky.:

Whenever I put my hands into a sink of hot soapy water I reflect on the cleansing power of the waters of baptism.

I learned to do this from a friend of more than 30 years, Helen McBride. She and many others in my life have modeled for me a life of goodness, strength and courage.

I’m thinking about Helen a lot since she has moved to Iowa to live with her daughter. Memories of her when I do our dishwater ritual, the scarcity of safe drinking water for people affected by the tsunami disaster and suggestions in the annual Operation Rice Bowl Lenten calendar for giving alms based on our use of water — all these have led me to focus on water in my Lenten observances this year.

The attention to water usage is occurring in a variety of ways. In addition to my reflection on baptism when I’m washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen, I’m also turning the water off while brushing my teeth and while shampooing and soaping in the shower. And the money I’m putting aside to give to the needy during Holy Week is based on the number of times I run the clothes and dishwashers or turn on a faucet or flush the toilet.

Hopefully, after 40 days, being more frugal with water will become an ingrained habit. And, my reflection on baptism always brings me back to Scripture and prayer, which is where I want, and need, to be.

Send e-mail to Pat Lechtenberg at plechtenberg@saint-johns.net.